GO FOR YOURS

FOREWORD In a recent television show, a prominent leader expressed his concern about the lack of young, African American leaders in our generation. While I agreed that you rarely see any young, African American leaders in the forefront, I couldn’t help but think about the young people who are trailblazers in their communities but are rarely recognized. A sense of disappointment came over me because too many stories are told about young blacks that consist of murder, homicide, teen pregnancy and the high HIV/AIDS rate. These negative stories have overshadowed the many accomplishments of young African American leaders of today. If that’s not enough, generations of African Americans are constantly criticized. Besides having to worry about being a statistic in one of the categories mentioned above, many young people are faced with criticism from their elders in regards to the music they listen to, how they wear their clothes and the “ridiculous” jobs they seek. These negative factors have caused many young people to turn to the media for their definition of success—causing them to get caught up in the superficial standards of what it means to be successful. As a result, they have a distorted vision and aspire to be ballers, drug dealers, and basketball wives, instead of finding their purpose and following their passion. There are too many people who are not following their dreams because they feel it is impossible and have used their current circumstances as a reason to not follow their dreams. As spiritual activist Mariam Williamson politely put it: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? Now, I would like to add to this quote and ask you, who are you not to be young, gifted and black? Who are you not to be as gifted and talented as Mark Zuckerberg, who co-founded Facebook, or Sean Parker who co-founded Napster? Who are you not to be young, gifted and black, when you come from a generation of people who performed the first open heart surgery (Dr. Daniel Hale Williams); led the Civil Rights Movement (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.); and went from working in the cotton fields to becoming a self-made business woman (Madame C.J. Walker), during a time when African Americans had fewer resources than we do now. If this is not enough to encourage you, remember you were blessed with the opportunity to see a man named Barack Hussein Obama become the first African American president; something the world thought we would never see. My intentions are not to give you a history lesson, but to share with you some stories and examples of young and fearless African American leaders, trailblazers and entrepreneurs in this current generation. Every person mentioned, whether through a quote, example, or personal story possesses a particular attribute that led them to walking in their destiny. After you read this book, my prayer is that you are encouraged to find your purpose so you too, can walk in your destiny. Go for Yours! When you feel like you are about to SINK, choose to SWIM! “If at first you don’t succeed, dust yourself off and try again.” –Aaliyah, Try Again After you decide to step out and Go for Yours, you will dive into an ocean filled with many opportunities. You will encounter beautiful creatures, such as fish, coral reefs, and even treasures. The same ocean full of beautiful opportunities is also filled with circumstances, like waves and wind, that result in great currents and sharks that are ready to eat you alive. When you approach an obstacle, it is up to you to decide if you will sink or swim. It is no secret that Olympic Gold Medalist Cullen Jones chose to swim. When he was just five-years old, he almost drowned in a swimming pool. This near-death experience left Cullen with the longing to learn how to swim. At a young age, he learned that in order to overcome certain obstacles, you have to learn how to deal with them. Cullen could have chosen to stay away from the pool, but that didn’t change the fact the pool would still be there, and his friends, who knew how to swim, would be having fun without him. His decision to learn how to swim allowed him to become the first African American male swimmer to win a Gold Medal at the World University Games and the second African American in history to win an Olympic Gold Medal in swimming, period. Altogether, Cullen has collected six gold medals, one bronze medal and two silver medals in the Olympic games. In 2006, he was considered the fastest swimmer in the world. At the U.S. National Championships in Indianapolis, IN, in 2009, he set the American record in the 50 mile freestyle, with a 21.41 second completion time. Cullen went from a little boy, who almost drowned, to an ambassador for African American swimmers determined to shatter stereotypes “one lap at a time” by spreading his message that racial and ethnic backgrounds have nothing to do with swimming abilities. Use Cullen as an example for choosing to swim when life tosses an obstacle your way. When you dive into the ocean, make sure you swim your way through the currents, better known as disappointments, failures, and setbacks. Be prepared for the people you encounter who are like sharks awaiting you as prey. Whether you have to use a swift breaststroke or a simple doggie paddle, choose to swim your way through the beautiful ocean, which is filled with more opportunities than obstacles, one stroke at a time.